Jet propulsion engine



y 1950 R. E. GUTHIER 2,508,573

JET PROPULSION ENGINE Filed Feb 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3- {(9 E: Gut/liar, mmvrox UM Zzm May 23, 1950 R. E. GUTHIER JET PROPULSION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1945 m .W M

k a] N w E m m A m] W WM n v Q \\\\\|r \MN t Q Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JET PROPULSION ENGINE Roy E. Guthier, Chicago, Ill., assignor of onehalf to Theodore W. Miller, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 5, 1945, Serial No. 578,173

2 Claims. (01.170-1354) This invention relates to jet reaction engines in general and more particularly to jet propulsion means for vehicles generally and especially vehicles adapted to be driven through air in or out of contact with land or water.

In the use of jet propulsion engines of the type used heretofore in conjunction with the propulsion of air borne vehicles, for example, a high degree of eilflciency can never be attained because of the principle of jet propulsion that efliciency is at a maximum when the moving part from which the discharged gases of combustion are emitted is at a velocity which is equal and opposite to the velocity of the discharged gases. This is due to the fact that the moving part directly receiving the jet reaction impulse has heretofore been the vehicle itself which has been propelled by the reaction of gases of combustion discharged directly astern of the vehicle and in anything short of a simple rocket, the lift structure (wings in the case of airborne vehicles) on the vehicle and air resistance thereto would prevent the attainment of vehicle velocity approaching the degree of the jet velocity. Furthermore this high degree of velocity is not always practicable or desirable for the vehicle itself especially at take oils (or starting). Because of the need I for slower vehicle speed at times, lift structure is essential for counteracting gravity as in landing. This lift structure and the resistance thereto prevents the attainment of maximum eiiiciency where the usual type of jet propulsion means is used. My jet invention contemplates the use of the jet propulsion principle in a manner wherein a maximum of eiliciency is obtained without the necessity of the vehicle itself attaining impracticable velocities because the moving part from which the discharged gases of combustion are emitted and upon which they directly react is not the vehicle itself not is such part rigidly connected thereto but, instead, such moving part, in its broad aspect is'a revolving arm which in this instance, is in the form of a propeller, which is jet propelled and in turn propels the vehicle.

This propeller is capable of attaining a linear ingly to provide such a Jet reaction engine which,

2 while applicable generally. is especially adapted for jet propulsion vehicles in general and airplanes in particular wherein a maximum of efflciency is attained.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an engine and/0r propulsion means for ehicles generally and airplanes in partic or wherein the moving part upon which the reaction of the jet acts is capable of attaining a linear velocity approaching very closely the velocit of the gases discharged from the Jet.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a vehicle jet propulsion means wherein the velocity of the part directly reacted upon only indirectly controls the velocity of the vehicle.

Other and further objects of this invention will be more apparent hereinafter as the same becomes better understood from an examination of the specification and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a let propulsion engine for an airplane embodying this invention with the plane omitted;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the propeller blades of the engine in transverse section and with parts removed to show the interior of the air compressor portion of the engine; f

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 3-3 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of one of the propeller blades taken at the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken at the same section as Fig. 3 showing the interior of the engine;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 5 showing the mounting on the airplane chassis;

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the electrical connections for the engine.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, reference character I designates a combined metal frame and engine housing casting provided with lateral integral webs 2 and 3 by which said frame is suitably attached to longitudinal chassis elements 4 and I of an airplane at the front end thereof. The frame and housing I is hollow and recessed to provide seats for spaced roller bearings 6 and I. The bearings 8 and I each comprise an inner and outer race and rotatabl support a hollow steel propeller shaft or sleeve 8 cast integrally with a hollow propeller hub Ill. The hub It is recessed and has mounted therein a pair of oppositely extending hollow propeller blades I l and I! the interior of which communicates with the interiorof the hub. A gear I5 is keyed and mounted on the inner end of 3 sleeve 9 and is provided with a. central hub or sleeve I extending to the inner race of bearing l for spacing same from said gear. A ring ll bolted to the inner end of sleeve 9 holds bearings l and 'I in position.

The blades ii and I! are each provided with a combustion chamber It within their respective interiors and a nozzle or let opening IT on their trailing sides adjacent their tips. A spark plug I8 is provided for each blade for igniting the mixture of air and gasoline (or other fuel) which is delivered from the hub as will be hereinafter described. When the mixture of gasoline and air is burned within the blades the gases of combustion are discharged through the Jets I! in the plane of rotation causing the propeller to rotate in the direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2.

The gear I! meshes w th a smaller ita of a pair of idler gears Ila-J9, the larger gear is of which in turn, drives a gear 20 on a hollow compressor shaft 2|. The compressor shaft 2| is mounted upon a pair of spaced ball bearings 22 and 23 mounted within the sleeve 9 and is formed integrally with a disk 24 within the hub of the propeller. The disk 24 is provided with a series of forwardly extending radial blades 25 equiangularly spaced to cooperate with the inner cylindrical walls of the propeller hub to form a compressor, the hub it being provided with a central forward opening 28 forming an air intake for the compressor. Thus when the propeller is rotated at a given speed the compressor is driven in the same direction within the hub II at a much greater speed to force air into the hollow propeller blades at suiiicient pressure to counteract the back pressure from the expanded gases of combustion.

The frame-housing I includes a closure section 21 flanged and bolted thereto which is cast to provide a central boss 28 and forming also a larger boss 2!. Roller bearings 30 and 3| for the pair of idler gears Ila-i9 are mounted one within the main housing I and the other within boss 29. The pair of idler gears l8ai9 are provided with an integral shaft 32 having a reduced extension I! which extends through a sealed bushing 36. is provided with a suitable vane or blade operable within a cylindrical chamber of a casing 35 to form a fuel pump. The casing 35 is anertured and connected to a gasoline supply line 36 for delivering gasoline to the chamber within the housing 35 near the center. The casing 35 is also apertured to receive gasoline from said chamber at the periphery thereof and is connected to deliver gasoline under pressure to a discharge pipe 31. The pipe 31 is connected to deliver gasoline through a throttle valve 38 to an opening in boss 20. When the throttle is closed the gasoline from pipe 31 may be returned to line 38 through a relief line 39 and a relief valve ii.

Gear i is held on shaft 9 by a ring II and gear is held on shaft 2| by a nut 42.

A tube 43 extends forwardly and coaxially within shaft 2!, is fastened against rotation by a set screw in boss 28 and ridesin a sealing bushing N at the forward end of shaft 2|. This tube 42 delivers fuel to the interior of a cap 45 fitted in closely sealed relation over the outer end of the shaft 2i. A pair of oppositely extending radial tubes 46 and 41 deliver the fuel to the periphery of compressor, each said tube being welded or otherwise suitably attached to an adjacent blade of said compressor for support. Thus as the air is drawn in through opening 26 and 18 pressed against the peripheral walls of the interior of the huh I. it admixes with the fuel and the resultant mixture is delivered under pressure to the combustion chambers of the blades ii and i2.

Each sparkplug II is connected to an electrical blade ll one end of which is attached to and insulated from the hub II and the other or free end rides upon and in contact with a ring 49. This ring 49 is mounted and insulated from a flange on the forward end of the engine housing i. The electrical connections are shown in Fig. 7 wherein a battery 50 delivers potential through a starting switch ii to an ignition spark coil 52 to the ring I! and thence to the sparkplugs IS.

The forward end of the airplane only a portion of which is shown is provided with a fuselage casing 53 which is fitted to the forward end of the engine housing i as shown and extends slightly over the rear edge of the propeller hub It.

The hub I 0 is provided with a grill Bl extending over the opening 2!.

In operation the throttle 28 is opened very slightly and the switch Si is closed to start the sparks from the sparkplugs I8 and the propeller is manually rotated in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Since the air compressor rotates at a much higher speed than the propeller a counter-pressure will be built up at the inner ends of the hollow propeller blades which will counteract the back pressure of the burning gases within the propeller blades. If desired a suitable starter i3 or booster may be used to build up this counter pressure upon starting but since the propeller will turn freely upon anti-friction bearings, manual operation will be sumcient to build up the necessary counter pressure. The gasoline pump will supply the gasoline under sufiicient pressure at all angles of the airplane.

After the engine has been started the centrifugal force itself of the gasoline or other fuel flowing from the tubes ll and 41 will assure flow of gasoline regardless of the fuel pump. Centrifugal force and build up of air pressure by the compressor would also compensate for the back pressure upon explosion of the gases within the propeller blades. The gases upon expansion within the propeller blades will be discharged through the tip or nozzle openings I1 rotating the propeller in the direction shown in the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. Increase of speed may be obtained by increasing the throttle opening of throttle valve 38 to increase the gas supply. A corresponding increase in air supply to properly proportion the mixture will be automatic.

It will be seen that since the propeller may turn freely it will approach in linear velocity the velocity of the gases discharged from the Jets i1 whereby a maximum of efilclency is obtained.

I am aware that many changes may be made and details varied without departing from the principles of my invention and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown or described.

I claim:

a" l. The combination of a propeller provided with a hub, a blade and a let on the blade spaced from the hub, a centrifugal air compressor within the hub driven by the propeller the blade provided with a combustion chamber adapted to receive air from the compressor and communicating with said jet, means for. centrifugally delivering fuel to the periphery of the compressor within the hub and means for igniting the fuel in said chamber.

2. The combination of a propeller provided with a hub, a blade and a jet on the blade spaced from the hub, an air compressor within the hub driven by the propeller, the compressor being of the centrifugal type, means for delivering fuel centrally to the compressor and thereafter radially to the periphery thereof and to the inner end of said blade, the blade being provided with an elongated combustion chamber adapted to simultaneously receive commingled air and fuel from 10 the periphery of said compressor and ignition means also near said inner end.

ROY E. GUTHIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Due June 2, 1914 Beck Jan. 12, 1926 Holmes et a1. Aug. 15, 1933 Russell Nov. 7, 1933 Dormer Nov. 19, 1935 Bleecker Jan. 3, 1939 Kundig Mar. 26, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1910 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1925 Great Britain July '30, 1930 France Feb. 20, 1911 

